MEXICO CITY: The promoter of one of the largest Christmas fairs in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero was shot dead during a street festival Tuesday, along with another man, local authorities said.
Martin Ramirez Ruiz, board president of the Christmas fair in the state capital Chilpancingo, was attacked by armed men while he was participating in a dance, according to the state prosecutor’s office and government officials.
Witnesses said the attackers opened fire on the dancers, killing the promoter and another man whose identity has not been released by authorities.
Guerrero governor Evelyn Salgado said on social media platform X that Ramirez Ruiz’s murder “is an inadmissible act that will not go unpunished.”
And the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement that it has opened a homicide investigation in the case.
The Chilpancingo Christmas fair is among the largest in Guerrero, drawing thousands of attendees and includes the centuries-old traditional walk known as Teopancalaquis, which goes through the five historic neighborhoods of the city.
Chilpancingo has been racked with violence in recent months.
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The city’s newly elected mayor, Alejandro Arcos, was murdered six days after taking office in October, with his decapitated head found on top of a vehicle.
In November, the dismembered bodies of 11 people were recovered after 17 people were reported missing in October.
Authorities attribute the attacks to the criminal group known as Los Ardillos, which is also tied to drug trafficking, extortion and kidnapping crimes.
More than 450,000 people have been murdered and thousands have gone missing since the Mexican government deployed the army to combat drug trafficking in 2006, according to official figures.
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